Selectively controlled light shielding liquid system for multiple window construction



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2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. Fay W W/rm mim alubu ATTORNEKS' R. W. WINN' |IIIIIIIIIIIIII Filed Sept 7, 1945 .III IIIIIIIIIII SYSTEM FOR MULTIPLE WINDOW CONSTRQQTION III: II I l'l n u II I l I; I I 1 ll II I I I I! I I I I I |I II II I III IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII SELECTIVELY CONTROLLED LIGHT SHIELDING LIQUID I I I I I I I I I I l l I I I April 13,

aearcn (XXII April 13, 1948. R. w. WINN 2,439,

SELECTIVELY CONTROLLED LIGHT SHIELDING LIQUID SYSTEI FOR MULTIPLE WINDOW CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. '7, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 afldwdm A T7019! Y3.

Patented Apr. 13, 1948,

oearCn ROOn UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SELECTIVELY CONTROLLED LIGHT SHIELD- ING LIQUID SYSTEM FOR MULTIPLE WINDOW CONSTRUCTION This invention relates to a window construction, and more particularly to multiple type windows for use in aircraft cabs or other window constructions.

The principal feature of the invention is to provide a window construction adapted to be blinded by the use of a translucent or opaque material at the will of the operator.

While my invention is primarily designed for use in wind shields or window openings in airplanes or other aircraft where a multiple number of windows is required, I do not wish to be limited to this feature of the invention as it may be adapted for many other uses. Aircraft and particularly helicopters usually have multiple window constructions and the sun and extreme bright light will sometimes hinder the operator of the vehicle, and my invention is adapted so that the operator of such vehicle may blind any desired panel of such window construction to obviate the undesirable condition.

Other objects of the invention are toprovide a single or multiple window construction having a framework containing panes of sheet glass with the sheets spaced apart adapted to receive a translucent or opaque material to blind such panel so as to prevent glare of sun or light from the face of the operator of the aircraft or other vehicle; to provide a container for the translucent or opaque material; to provide means for inserting the material between the panes of glass in the respective sections of the window construction; to provide for return of the material through overflow pipe to said container; to provide means for admitting the translucent or opaque material to the desired panel; to provide breather means for the respective chambers provided by the glass panes in the window sections; to provide valve means for controlling the flow of translucent or opaque material to and from the respective chambers regardless of the position of the window; and to provide a window construction of this character simple, economical to manufacture, and efficient in operation.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention, I have provided improved details of structure, the preferred forms of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary view showing the multiple sections of a window construction embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a cross section of the frame of a window particularly illustrating the frame for the 2 the feeder and overflow lines leading to and from the chamber.

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view of the trap in the breather line.

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view of the switch and valve for controlling the flow of material to and from the chamber between the glass panes.

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view of the liquid container showing the motor for operating the pump and the vent for the tank.

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

1 designates a window construction embodying the features of my invention comprising a framework 2 having a plurality of panels as indicated at 3 and 4 (Fig. 1), having an opening adapted to receive panes of glass or other transparent material 5 and E. The window construction may comprise any number of panels in the framework arranged in any form suitable both for aircraft purposes or any other purpose requiring one or more of the panels. The framework may be of any particular shape or size, but here preferably shown to be of substantially rectangular shape as best illustrated in Fig. 2, and is preferably made of two sections 1 and 8 adapted to fit together forming a chamber 8 therebetween.

The respective sides of the section 1 of the framework are provided with a recessed portion In providing shoulders I i of said frame. The recess is adapted to receive the edges of the glass panes 5 and 6 so that the panes are retained by said framework. A gasket material l2 may be inserted in the recessed portion and gasket 13 along the face of the side 8 of the frame to provide a seal for the panels and a resilient anchoring of the panels in the framework. The gasket may be of any suitable material, such as synthetic rubber or the like. The glass panes 5 and 6 are offset on their inner faces at substantially the point of contact with the framework as indicated at M, to form a chamber l5 between the glass panes. The pieces of glass 5 and 5 may be sealed around the edges of the chamber in any suitable manner to form a liquid type chamber for the fluid as later described, and to prevent foreign matter from entering the chamber to insure a clean surface on the inside of the glass at all times.

l6 designates a container for the liquid I1 to be supplied to the chamber l5. l8 designates a pump preferably located near the bottom of the container which is operated by a motor l9 located above the container as illustrated in Fig. 5. The liquid I! may be of any suitable transglass panes, the chamber between the panels, and lucent or opaque material, such as mercury, which 3 is of a cohesive nature, so that it will not adhere to the inside of the glass of the chamber I5. Alcohol or toluol, to which is added a pigment, such as litmus, is also suitable for this purpose.

Leading from the pump I8 in the container I is a feeder line 20 which runs to the nearest chamber of a window opening and is then bypassed to each window as desired through lines 2I and 22. Branch pipes 23 also located in the chamber 9 extend from the lines 2i and 22 to the chamber I5 of the respective panels through openings 24, the branch pipes being sealed in said openings to prevent escape of liquid through the openings. Located in the branch lines 23 adjacent each panel are two-way valves 25 through which the liquid from the container I5 is supplied to the chamber I5 of the panels as later described.

I preferably provide each chamber I5 between the glass panels with an overflow line 25 which preferably connects to the top of the chamber through an opening 21 in the panel of the framework. The overflow lines 25 lead to a main return line 28 which preferably enters the container for the liquid near the top thereof as indicated at 29 (Fig. 5), so that when the liquid fills the chamber I5, any overflow will flow through the return line back to the liquid container. I also preferably provide a drain duct 30 which leads from the chamber I5 in the panels to the valve 25; thence through line 3| to the main return line 28 so that the liquid drained from the chamber will flow back to the liquid container.

The two-way valve 25 consists of a body member 32 having flanges 33 on the respective ends adapted to anchor the switch in the chamber 9 of the framework. The valve has an opening 34 for receiving the branch of the feeder line 23 and an outlet opening 35 for receiving a branch line 35 leading through the openings 24 in the respective panels. The body of the valve is provided with a horizontal chamber 31 adapted to receive a slide pin or the like 38. Connecting with the chamber 31 areducts 39 and 40 for flow of the liquid to and from the chambers 15 as later described. Preferably located on the top side of the two-way valve is a boss 4| providing a chamber 42 therein provided with a trap door 43 hingedly mounted on the chamber as indicated at 44. The slide pin 38 is provided with a handle 45 which extends through a slot-like opening 45 in the side 8 of the framework for a purpose later described.

Connected to the container I5, preferably in the top thereof, is a breather line 41 which has branch lines 48 running through the chamber 9 of the framework and is preferably connected to the top of the chambers I5 in the respective panels through openings 49 therein by lines 50. Located in the line 50 is a trap 5| having a chamber 52 therein. A trap door 53 in the chamber 52 is preferably hinged at the top of the trap, as indicated at 54, and is of a length to extend across the opening 55 of the pipe 59 and prevent flow of liquid from the chamber I5 into the breather line. A stop 55 is rigidly secured to the bottom of the chamber on the side opposite the opening 55 of the pipe 50 and located so that the free end of the trap door will contact therewith to maintain a passage through the trap into the line 50. It will be noted that the breather line by-passes each window and enters the air space at the top of the tank to allow drainage of the chambers I5 in the respective panels of the windows.

Located in the top of the liquid container is a vent 51 to provide for expansion and contraction of the liquid in the tank. The vent preferably consists of a cylinder 58 having a piston 59 slidable therein with the expansion and contraction of the liquid. The cylinder isprovided with a cap 50 having openings 5I therein.

The pump I8 may be of any suitable character and I have here illustrated an electric motor I9 having an electric connection 52 to a source of current supply (not shown).

Operation of a device constructed and asse. bled as described is as follows:

Operation of the pump I8 by the motor I9 will cause the liquid in the tank IE to flow through feeder line 20, branch lines 2|, and by-pass line 23 to the two-way valve 25. When it is desired to allow the liquid to flow to the chamber I5, the slide pin 38 is pushed to the left, as shown in Fig. 4, by the operator manipulating the handle 45. The trap 43 is raised by force of the liquid flowing through the valve which enters the line 35 (Fig. 4), leading through opening 24 in the panel to the chamber I5 between the glass plates 5 and 5. Should the operator fail to turn off the motor, any excess liquid will overflow through by-pass lines 25 and main line 28 back to the storage tank I5. When the chamber I5 is full, the pump may be shut off by the operator and the trap 43 will close over the duct 39 to retain the liquid in the chamber I5.

When it is desired to drain the liquid from the chamber I5, the slide pin 38 is shifted to the right and the liquid in the chamber will drain through pipes 30 and H back to the main overflow line 28 to the container I5. The breather line connected to the top of the respective chambers I5 by line 58, thence running to the main breather line 48, will allow drainage of the chambers in the windows and the trap door 53 preventing any liquid in the lines from flowing into the line 50.

It will be noted that a two-way valve is attached to each panel of the framework and has connection with the chamber of each panel. The valves may be manipulated at the will of the operator by starting of the motor through a switch on the instrument panel (not shown) whenever it is desired to render any panel translucent or opaque so as to prevent the sun or extreme light from contacting the face of the operator of the vehicle. While I have particularly described my invention for use in connection with vehicles such as aircraft, it will be obvious that it may be used for other purposes.

It will be obvious from the foregoing that I have provided improved apparatus for rendering the respective panels of a window construction translucent or opaque at the will of the operator of the device.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a structure having a plurality of window openings, a hollow framework, spaced transparent panels arranged in pairs and mounted in said framework, each pair of panels closing one of said openings, means for sealing the edges of said pairs of panels to form chambers therebetween, a closed system for selectively supplying liquid to said chambers for rendering same opaque comprising, a storage container, opaque liquid in said container, a manifold pressure line leading from the container through the framework,

tion between one of the pressure manifold lines' and the return manifold line with the chamber between the panels while simultaneously terminating communication between the other manifold line and the chamber, means to prevent backfiow from the chambers to the pressure manifold line, means communicating the upper end of the respective chambers with the return manifold line for returning excess liquid from the chambers to the liquid container, and means communicating the upper end of each chamber with the breather manifold line including a trap to prevent liquid from flowing from the chambers into said breather line, whereby one chamber may be filled with liquid while the other is being drained.

2. In a structure having a plurality of window openings, a hollow framework, spaced transparent panels arranged in pairs and mounted in said framework, each pair of said panels closing one of said openings, means for sealing the edges of said pairs of panels to form chambers therebetween, a closed system for selectively supplying liquid to said chambers to render same opaque comprising, a storage container, opaque liquid in said container, a pressure line lefdlfigfiom the container through the framework, branch lines each connecting the pressure line to one of the chambers between a pair of panels, means for supplying liquid from the container to said pressure and branch lines, a return manifold line communicating with the container, branch return lines communicating each chamber with the manifold return line, a single valve means in the branch pressure line and branch return line for searcn each chamber, a movable member in each valve means for opening one of the branch lines and closing the other to the respective chamber for selectively controlling flow of liquid to and from said chamber, a check valve in each branch pressure line for retaining liquid in the respective chamber when the liquid supply is terminated, overflow lines communicating the upper ends of the chambers with the return manifold line for returning excess liquid from the chambers to the liquid container, a breather manifold line leading from the container through the framework, branch breather lines communicating the upper end of each chamber with the breather manifold line, means in each branch breather line for preventing flow of liquid from the chambers into said breather line whereby one chamber may be filled with liquid while another is being drained, and means in the storage container for varying the volume thereof in accordance to the expansion and contraction of the liquid in the system.

ROY W. WINN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain July 21, 1932 Number Number 

